


You Be the Ship, I'll Be the Compass

by Turtles



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Nautical AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 02:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turtles/pseuds/Turtles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is a ship, Louis is a compass</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Be the Ship, I'll Be the Compass

There was something about the cool waters around Harry that calmed him. The open space around him, as opposed to when he was tied up on the dock. He always felt safer out at sea. 

This probably had something to do with the fact that when he was out in the ocean, navigating the wide blue, Louis was guiding him. Louis was a compass held in the hands of the Captain. Even though it was the old sea man's hands that moved Harry's wheel, Harry could feel the pull of Louis' magnet every time he turned.

Sometimes, when night fell. The Captain went to bed and it was just Harry and Louis and the hush of the water. Louis' would spin and click, tell Harry about the time he spent in the Captain's pocket and not on deck. How he sort of missed Harry when he was on land. The water would sway Harry, and he'd swear, even though it was dark and the sun was no longer beating down on him. That's when he'd feel the warmest.

Harry and Louis traveled the world together. Louis navigating Harry through murky waters and clear wonderlands. Looking at the fish around them and the birds above them. Everything was sweeter with Harry, his wonder of the world around them bringing Louis curiosity. 

“What does it feel like? To sail?” Louis would ask, his gold cover reflecting in the sun where he laid on deck.

“Feels like. Like being home, Lou.” It did. This was home to Harry. Sailing for days with only the company of the sea salt breeze against his sails. With Louis pointing them towards strange new lands. Whenever they stayed in a port together Louis would go on land with the Captain, and come back with rich tales for Harry. Harry was always captivated by what Louis had to say, floating light when Louis says that Harry is more entertaining than all of them.

One day a storm set in. The clouds rolled in before anyone could really take notice and though the Captain struggled to navigate, Harry tossed and turned in the rolling waters. It only took a slip for Louis to drop into the ocean, the drop of his metal into the ocean virtually silent under the onslaught of the storm.

But Harry heard the drop as loud as a thousand cannons, felt the quiver in his stern. Who would guide him now, lost and dark with the storms shouting above him Harry felt a snap and began to sink.

Harry didn't want to sink. It was dark down there and he would never know the sun the way it had reflected on Louis' casing again, but that he did. Nestling deep down into the ocean. A sunken ship without his compass.

Louis and Harry laid at the bottom of the ocean. Closer than they thought, but still miles apart. Far enough that they weren't sure where the other was if not for the steady point of Louis' compass to a direction slightly off North, where Harry laid. 

The darkness was overwhelming, but one day a strange light set in by Harry. At first he thought it was the Captain, but he realized he was long gone. Another person then. With a bright light and strange machinery. 

Soon Harry felt himself being lifted out of the water. And from there things happened so fast. When you've already grown accustomed to the idea of forever under the sea, when things start moving again it's hard to keep track. First he's moving in the water again, not by himself, but on another ship. Then he's in a room, people working to fix him, restoring him to how he looked before. Then he's being placed behind glass, and people come in every day to look at him. 

It's nice. It's a change from being in the dark, the fish shitting on him. It was really kind of uncomfortable. He misses Louis. He could make a home of this if he was here. 

Time passes slower now that he's above water. Different faces and voices reminding him of his days with the Captain and Lou. One day there's a bit of a commotion. Harry's seen it before, when they add different items to the exhibit. Harry is excited, it's always nice to have someone new. 

This feels different somehow, and sure enough when the glass case is placed in front of Harry he feels his sails flutter in surprise even though there isn't a breeze passing through.

“Louis?” Harry can hardly hope, but there he is the gold twinkling brightly at him. 

“Hello, Hazza. Did you miss me while you were land ridden?” Louis twinkles in the fluorescent lighting.

“More than anything, Lou. More than anything.” Harry feels at home.

A small boy walks up to the case where Louis is, curls falling into his face. Another one walks to see the ship that is Harry, eyes soft like the sea. They turn and their eyes meet, small fingers trailing off the respective cases as they move closer together. The boy with water eyes says, “Hi.”

**Author's Note:**

> PRETEND THIS IS HOW SCIENCE WORKS


End file.
